1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a foam wall construction system. In particular, it relates to a simplified metal stud for framing foam wall panels, which has opposing cavities on each side to accept the edge of a foam wall panel. In addition, it relates to a method of connecting adjacent foam wall panels with the simplified metal stud, and for providing optional wiring channels within the foam wall panels.
2. Background
The materials and techniques used in the construction of walls, both for interior and exterior use, has evolved substantially over the years. For example, interior walls were for many years constructed using “lathe and plaster” techniques. In this process, wood studs provided physical support for wooden strips which were attached to them. In turn, the layer plaster was manually installed on the wood strips. While this process provided a sturdy wall, it was very time-consuming to install and required skilled workmen to complete the installation. As a result, installing walls using this process was relatively expensive due to the time needed to install a section wall and the need for more expensive skilled workmen. Because of these drawbacks, a number of attempts have been made to reduce the time required to install a wall, and to reduce the associated costs.
Plaster walls were eventually replaced with conventional drywall panels. The system uses gypsum-type wall panels which are laminated on both sides with cardboard sheathing. A disadvantage associated with this type of wall system is that in order to provide thermal or sound insulation between rooms adjoining the wall, additional time is required and expense is incurred due to the requirement to install an insulating material between opposing drywall panels installed on the opposite sides of supporting wall studs. While improving over prior art plaster walls, the variety of components and the amount of labor required for this type of wall construction has also resulted in a relatively high installation cost.
Metal framing systems have been developed which eliminate the need for wood studs for non load bearing use. An advantage of metal studs is that they do not warp as wood may when subjected to environmental factors such as changes in humidity. As a result, metal studs allow walls to be constructed which are relatively flat in comparison to walls constructed from wood studs. Another advantage is that while wood studs are at risk of termite damage, metal studs are not. Of course, metal studs do not address the insulation issues discussed above.
More recently, prefabricated insulated wall panels have been developed based on foam core walls. The foam core walls typically are laminated structures in which the central foam core is laminated on both sides with protective layers. One or both of the protective layers may be fabricated from a material such as oriented strand board (“OSB”). This type of wall panel (which can also be used for flooring or roofing purposes, depending on how sturdy their construction is) typically comes in large panel sizes (e.g., 4 ft. by 8 ft.). They typically are heavy and require a substantial effort to install. Likewise, not all wall installations require high strength protective layers on one or more sides. It would be desirable to have a method of installing foam cores for walls which does not require heavy and unwieldy exterior sheathing.
A number of connection methods have been developed for the installation of wall panels. In particular, a variety of edge connecting devices have been developed for interlocking adjacent wall panels such that large segments of walls can be fabricated using a series of wall panels. Typically, these edge connectors are relatively complicated devices which use, tongue and groove structures, spring loaded clamps, etc. in order to secure adjacent panels together. These types of structures often contribute to component failure due to their complexity. Likewise, as the structure of these devices becomes more complicated, the cost of their fabrication also increases. It would be desirable to have a method of connecting adjacent wall panels which is less prone to failure during the installation process, and which is less expensive to manufacture due to its simplicity of design.